Baby name - is this a weird thing to do?

[wasthataburp]

Looking for some opinions please...

We are due DS in a few weeks and had settled on a name we both love and had thought we didn't know anyone with the same name etc.

We just realised that DH cousin has a child with the same name. For context the cousin and family live in a different country and the last time we saw them was about 7 years ago. Unlikely to see them again unless it was for a funeral etc.

We have never met the child and only ever seen pics on Facebook.

I think it's not weird for us to stick with the name but DH thinks it's a bit odd.

What do you think?

Not weird, use the name. Congratulations!

Use the name!

I think that's completely fine to use.

I think it's a bit odd. Surely family members will hear the name and instantly say 'oh, same as...', which I wouldn't like

Also depends on type of name... If it's something traditional it's a bit easier to use whereas if it's something fairly unique then I defo wouldn't

Will the children have the same surname?

No not the same surname

Totally fine. We did the same, it didn’t occur to us till after we’d named the baby!

Also nothing unusual - just a normal name

My niece’s son and my son have the same name. Same spelling. We live 20 mins apart. I did think wtf but it’s never been a problem just a tiny bit weird. There’s a 14 year age gap too.

My first cousins all share names. And we see each other several times a year. Its fine!

My friend is battling her husband for a name that the child would share with his colleague's child - FFS!

I would use the name. Unless we used the same rules for passwords, and everyone needed a capital, lowercase, number and symbol then your child will share their name with others. Amazingly enough, generations of humans have copied with the phenomenon of people having the same name.

My dad's cousins daughter has the same name as me (different surname). They live in a different country and we have met a few times. I actually have never thought about us having the same name really. We only communicate when either side is travelling to the others country (every 3-5 years) to arrange a meet up.

I really don't think it is weird. You aren't exactly in each other's lives.

Not odd at all. It will hardly be confusing. Stick with the name you have chosen.

Depends on the name- something like Cornelius it would seem a bit odd that you’d picked the exact same unusual name.

Something bog standard from the top 50, most people would think was just a coincidence.

I'd wouldn't find it strange and I'm someone who did actually veto a name based on the fact my cousin had chosen same name for her DS... I'm kinda close to my cousin though and her DS was born just 6 weeks prior to my DS so it would have seemed like we had copied them

Of course it’s fine when you have virtually no contact with them.

Your DH didn’t immediately think of that child, so it’s a bit daft to assume others will notice/care.

It's fine, there is plenty of distance between the families and I assume the middle names will be different.

It might look a bit odd if they were going to be in the same class at school bit it's not an issue in your situation.

Depends on family size - I have less than ten cousins across both sides and so wouldn't use it. DH can barely name all his aunts and uncles, nevermind cousins, so it wouldn't even occur to us to avoid their children's names. In fact there's every chance we've used one without realising.

It's not weird as they are people you barely know, and rarely see! The name of your next door neighbour or colleagues' kids are more relevant, and nobody avoids those (unless perhaps the child is very badly behaved and it's a negative association!)

Oops I must have skipped over thecats post - obviously some people do!

I would drop them a message to let them know you are considering this name, and just realised its the same name. Especially as unusual in the sense not knowing no one with the same name.

Name him the name if that's what you like. People don't own names.

Not weird at all. I have cousins with the same first name and surname

Surely the fact that you didn't even think about the other person with the name until a little later shows that you aren't really in each other's lives - which is the only way it would become potentially awkward. As the surname isn't even the same anyway, I really wouldn't worry at all. On the rare occasions that you do meet, you can just refer to them as 'Our X' and 'Your X'. You're related, but not really the same 'family', as it were.